What assessment has the Welsh Government made of recent difficulties with blister pack recycling?
Blister packs are challenging to recycle as they are comprised of composite materials, which need to be separated out. Although the recycling of blister packs specifically is not currently part of the contractual arrangements for NHS services provided by community pharmacies in Wales, medicines suppliers are being encouraged to consider their sustainability journey and work to align with the public sector and NHS net zero targets.
The Welsh Government has been working on a joint UK-wide Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) initiative for packaging. This will apply the ‘polluter pays principle’ by requiring producers who use and supply packaging to pay for the costs incurred in managing packaging for recycling and disposal.